It's January and everywhere you look, there are lists of 'X number of things to improve X'. How about, 'Do these X things today to be a new you'?
You have seen them, right? Maybe you even clicked on a few.
As a new year kicks off, it’s an ideal time to reflect on your habits and processes. We feel like we should set goals for the upcoming year. The goals should be big, sweeping, SMART goals too or I'm not doing it like I should. It feels like a lot of pressure, honestly.
But what if you didn't do THAT?
What if you simply took some time to reflect on the previous year and asked, "What served me well last year?" and "What didn't serve me well?'.
These questions come from a different place - less about applying someone's solution to your life and more about just seeing what adjustments could be made to where you currently are.
There are times where major adjustments need to be made but how about setting a positive tone for your new year? Work with what you are already doing.
Instead, start small, stay consistent and watch how your reflection time can lead to more meaningful changes in this new year.
Developing a reflection habit can lead to meaningful adjustments that enhance your productivity and overall well-being. Taking the time and considering what worked for you and what didn't, right where you are, is more personal and connected to you.
Solutions can always be found but don't start there.
You can recognize what didn't work by reflecting - that gives you insight into what pivot you need to make moving forward.
What change can you make to your current system? What would it look like?
It's likely that you don't need a drastic change to be more effective. Most people don't have lasting power implementing something vastly different than they have in the past.
Let's allow ourselves the grace not to follow someone else's 'X things to help you X more,' but rather to identify where trying something different could benefit us—something that would serve us well in the coming year.
Reflection helps you see where your process could use a pivot, not just someone else's solution.
While it is a skill, you should know a few things about reflection.
You don't have to dedicate a certain time for it. Reflection can be done a little at a time, here and there. Commutes don't always work for me - it often includes my boys and their little voices. Nighttime doesn't always leave me in a reflective mood as I'm usually juggling a few things during our evening routines. I find myself doing quick reflection while I shower or as I wind down the evening and it can still be effective this way.
You can keep it simple. You can simply ask yourself, 'What isn't working for me when it comes to _______?" and let your mind lead you to the things that need your attention. Try asking, 'What is serving me well when I think about ______?'. 'What were my successes this week?' 'What challenges did I face?' There is no wrong answer and if something keeps floating to the top, it likely needs your attention.
You can write about it. Pose a question at the top of the page and let your mind go. See what comes up.
You may only need to notice - what am I thinking about a lot? Are there patterns? Am I stressed about a particular thing right now?
You can ask someone else. I have an accountability partner and we have lunch once a quarter to talk about the items we committed to doing during that 90 days. If I asked, she would tell me what I am missing. What pivot do I need to make?
New year's pivots are just like regularly needed pivots, a small change to your system. It's not necessary to always have measurable results - you will know if the adjustment begins working for you.
Building yourself into a more consistent and self-aware being is a practice that starts with making space for personal reflection, regularly. What change can you make to your current system to meet your new need in this upcoming year?
You will identify meaningful pivots as you develop that reflection habit and determine where you can be effective where you are right now.
Here's what that could look like to pivot your current system:
Do you need to layer in a new habit with an existing one that is already working for you?
Is another time of day now better for productivity or reflection?
Should you partner with someone else on accountability for one particularly difficult habit to stick with?
Could you update your space to make doing something you want to do easier/more comfortable/more convenient?
Do I need to stop doing something to keep me on track in other areas?
Those pivots result in meaningful adjustments to your existing system. That is sustainable. Starting off the year with someone else's 'X things to do to be more X' may not be.
Building a reflection habit makes your pivots continuous and not just established at the beginning of the year to work or not. It builds your self awareness and ability to be more effective in maintaining habits and processes that really work for the best you.
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